Memphis-born singer/songwriter
HOMER BANKS (1941-2003)
was one of the unsung heroes of Southern Soul music.
In the mid-60’s, many soul fans discovered a group of powerhouse singles
that he recorded as a singer including two Isaac Hayes & David Porter
stormers HOOKED BY LOVE and 60 MINUTES OF YOUR LOVE plus
an exceptional song that Homer wrote himself along with Deanie Parker
titled A LOT OF LOVE. (Deanie Parker was also a singer herself,
releasing singles on Stax’s Volt subsidiary).
A LOT OF LOVE was released by Homer on
Liberty’s Minit label in ’66.
The bass riff was sampled in Steve Winwood’s song
GIMME SOME LOVIN’ by The Spencer Davis Group
and later it was successfully revived in the UK as
AIN’T THAT A LOT OF LOVE by Simply Red in ’99.
Despite his early soul vocals, Homer’s greatest success evolved
as a songwriter initially for Stax where he formed a writing trio with singer
Bettye Crutcher and guitarist Raymond Jackson; they called themselves
‘We Three’ and hit paydirt with the powerhouse cheating ballad
WHO’S MAKING LOVE with which gospel-schooled soulman
Johnnie Taylor roared to the top of the R&B charts in ’68.
The team also crafted an elegant midtempo groover
I LIKE WHAT YOU’RE DOING TO ME for Stax soul queen
Carla Thomas.
For me, Homer’s finest composition
was another cheating song namely the classic
(IF LOVING YOU IS WRONG) I DON’T WANT TO BE RIGHT
as immortalized by Luther Ingram in ’72 whose superlative version
was recorded at Muscle Shoals and released on producer Johnny Baylor’s
KoKo label. A detailed account of the session with quotes from both
Homer and Luther can be found in Adam White & Fred Bronson’s
authoritative Billboard Book Of No.1 R&B Hits (Billboard, 1993).
The ballad was co-authored again by Raymond Jackson
along with another of Homer’s regular collaborators Carl Hampton.
Homer and Raymond original performed as members of gospel group
The Soul Consolidators and in the mid-70’s,
Homer & Carl recorded together as Banks & Hampton.
An earlier momentous Luther Ingram success was
AIN’T THAT LOVING YOU, a pleading ballad that Homer co-wrote
with Allen Jones. Allen worked extensively with and co-wrote many of
the Bar-Kays’ hits and both he and Homer created the funksters’
SON OF SHAFT. Homer & Allen also wrote I CAN’T STAND UP
FOR FALLING DOWN which started out as a Sam & Dave B-side
but which R&B fan Elvis Costello smartly revived in 1980
giving him a Top 5 UK charter.
In addition, Homer, Carl & Raymond wrote some glorious songs for
the Staple Singers led by BE WHAT YOU ARE, IF YOU’RE READY
(Come Go With Me) and the ultimate message ballad
TOUCH A HAND, MAKE A FRIEND which reached an entire
country audience when revived by The Oak Ridge Boys.
Finally, two more of my other personal faves are a dynamite scorcher
called CAN’T YOU FIND ANOTHER WAY (Of Doing It) by Sam & Dave
in ’68 and a funk-edged workout ANGEL OF MERCY by bluesman
Albert King from ’72.
Here is an alphabetical list of chart versions of Homer’s songs:
AIN'T THAT A LOT OF LOVE
(Homer Banks/Deanie Parker)
by Simply Red
Pro: Andy Wright, Gota Yashiki & Mick Hucknall
(EastWest: 1999)
UK #14
AIN’T THAT LOVING YOU (For More Reasons Than One)
(Homer Banks/Allen Jones)
by Luther Ingram
Pro: Johnny Baylor
(KoKo: 1970) US #6 R&B, #45 Pop
by Isaac Hayes & David Porter
Pro: Isaac Hayes & David Porter
Arr: Isaac Hayes
(Enterprise: 1972)
US #37 R&B, #86 Pop
by Lou Rawls
Pro: Kenneth Gamble & Leon Huff
(Philadelphia Int'l: 1980) US #57 R&B
ANGEL OF MERCY
(Homer Banks/Raymond Jackson)
by Albert King
Pro: Henry Bush & Allen Jones
(Stax: 1972)
US #42 R&B
BAD WEATHER
(Homer Banks)
by J. Blackfoot
Pro: Homer Banks
(Edge: 1987)
US #78 R&B
BE WHAT YOU ARE
(Homer Banks/Carl Hampton/Raymond Jackson)
by The Staple Singers
(Stax: 1973)
US #18 R&B, #66 Pop
CAN'T YOU FIND ANOTHER WAY (Of Doing It)
(Homer Banks/Raymond Jackson)
by Sam & Dave
Pro: Isaac Hayes & David Porter
(Atlantic: 1968)
US #19 R&B, #54 Pop
CAUGHT IN THE ACT (Of Gettin' It On)
(Homer Banks/Carl Hampton)
by Facts Of Life
Pro: Millie Jackson
(Kayvette: 1976) US #13 R&B
FROM TOYS TO BOYS
(Homer Banks/Carl Hampton/Raymond Jackson)
by The Emotions
Pro: Pervis Staples, Homer Banks,
Raymond Jackson & Carl Hampton
(Volt: 1973)
US #37 R&B
HIDING PLACE
(Homer Banks/Chuck Brooks)
by J. Blackfoot
Pro: Homer Banks & Chuck Brooks
(Sound Town: 1985)
US #77 R&B
I CAN’T STAND UP FOR FALLING DOWN
(Homer Banks/Allen Jones)
by Elvis Costello & The Attractions
Pro: Nick Lowe
(Columbia: 1980)
UK #4
I COULD NEVER BE HAPPY
(Homer Banks/Carl Hampton/Raymond Jackson)
by The Emotions
Homer Banks, Carl Hampton/Raymond Jackson & Pervis Staples
(Volt: 1972)
US #23 R&B, #93 Pop
I COULD NEVER BE PRESIDENT
(Homer Banks/Raymond Jackson/Bettye Crutcher)
by Johnnie Taylor
Pro: Don Davis (Stax: 1969)
US #10 R&B, #48 Pop
I DON'T PLAY THAT
(Homer Banks/Chuck Brooks)
by Shirley Brown
Pro: Homer Banks & Chuck Brooks
(Sound Town: 1984)
US #68 R&B
I LIKE WHAT YOU'RE DOING (To Me)
(Homer Banks/Raymond Jackson/Bettye Crutcher)
by Carla Thomas
Pro: Don Davis (Stax: 1969)
US #9 R&B, #49 Pop
I STOOD ON THE SIDEWALK AND CRIED
(Homer Banks/Chuck Brooks)
by J. Blackfoot
Pro: Homer Banks & Chuck Brooks
(Sound Town: 1984)
US #63 R&B
I THOUGHT OF YOU TODAY
(Homer Banks/Chuck Brooks)
by Randy Brown
Pro: Homer Banks & Carl Hampton
(Parachute: 1979) US #71 R&B
I WANNA MAKE LOVE TO YOU
(Homer Banks/Carl Hampton)
by Randy Brown
Pro: Homer Banks & Carl Hampton
(Parachute: 1978) US #22 R&B
I'D RATHER HURT MYSELF (Than To Hurt You)
(Homer Banks/Carl Hampton)
by Randy Brown
Pro: Homer Banks & Carl Hampton
(Parachute: 1978)
US #89 R&B
I'LL BE THE OTHER WOMAN
(Homer Banks/Carl Hampton)
by The Soul Children
(Stax: 1973)
US #3 R&B & #36 Pop both in '74
I'LL BE YOUR SHELTER (In Time Of Storm)
(Homer Banks/Carl Hampton/Raymond Jackson)
by Luther Ingram
Pro: Johnny Baylor
(KoKo: 1972)
US #9 R&B & #40 Pop both in '73
I'M GLAD TO DO IT
(Homer Banks/Johnny Keyes)
by Little Royal
Pro: Hal Neely
(Tri-Us: 1973)
US #88 R&B
I'M GONNA HAVE TO TELL HER
(Homer Banks/Carl Hampton)
by Banks & Hampton
Pro: Brad Shapiro
(Warner Bros: 1977)
US #80 R&B
I’VE GOT A FEELING (We’ll Be Seeing Each Other Again)
(Homer Banks/Carl Hampton)
by Al Wilson
Pro: Marc Gordon
Arr: H.B. Barnum
(Playboy: 1976)
US #3 R&B, #29 Pop
IF I DON'T LOVE YOU
(Homer Banks/Chuck Brooks)
by Randy Brown
Pro: Homer Banks & Chuck Brooks
(Chocolate City: 1981)
US #31 R&B
(IF LOVING YOU IS WRONG) I DON'T WANT TO BE RIGHT
(Homer Banks/Carl Hampton/Raymond Jackson)
by Luther Ingram
Pro: Johnny Baylor
(KoKo: 1972)
US #1 R&B, #3 Pop
by Jackie Burns
Pro: Bob McDill & Bob Webster
(JMI: 1972) US #71 Country
by Millie Jackson
Pro: Brad Shapiro & Millie Jackson
(Spring: 1974) US #42 Pop in ‘75
by Rod Stewart
Pro: Tom Dowd
(UK Riva: 1977)
UK #23 in ’80
by Barbara Mandrell
Pro: Tom Collins
(MCA: 1978)
US #1 Country, #6 AC & #31 Pop all in ’79
by Rhonda Clark
(Tabu: 1992)
US #26 R&B
IF YOU'RE READY (Come Go With Me)
(Homer Banks/Carl Hampton/Raymond Jackson)
by The Staple Singers
Pro: Al Bell
(Stax: 1973)
US #1 R&B, #9 Pop
by Ruby Turner Featuring Jonathan Butler
Pro: Billy Ocean
(Jive: 1986) US #58 R&B, UK #30
IT AIN'T ALWAYS WHAT YOU DO (It's Who You Let See You Do It)
(Homer Banks/Carl Hampton/Raymond Jackson)
by The Soul Children
Pro: Jim Stewart & Al Jackson
(Stax: 1973) US #11 R&B
KEEP AN EYE ON YOUR CLOSE FRIENDS
(Homer Banks/Carl Hampton)
by The Newcomers
Pro: Homer Banks & Carl Hampton
(Truth: 1974)
US #66 R&B
LEAVE THE BRIDGES STANDING
(Homer Banks/Chuck Brooks)
by Shirley Brown
Pro: Homer Banks & Chuck Brooks
(Sound Town: 1984)
US #73 R&B
LOVE MAKES IT RIGHT
(Homer Banks/Carl Hampton)
by The Soul Children
Pro: Homer Banks & Carl Hampton
(Stax: 1974)
US #47 R&B
LOVIN’ ON BORROWED TIME
(Homer Banks/William Bell/Joe Shamwell)
by William Bell
Pro: William Bell & Al Jackson Jr.
(Stax: 1973) US #22 R&B
NEXT TIME
(Homer Banks/Raymond Jackson)
by Johnnie Taylor
Pro: Steve Cropper & Al Jackson
(Stax: 1968) US #34 R&B
SLUM BABY
(Homer Banks/Raymond Jackson/Bettye Crutcher)
by Booker T. & The MG’s
Pro: Booker T. & The MG’s
(Stax: 1969)
US #46 R&B. #88 Pop
SON OF SHAFT
(Homer Banks/William Brown/Allen Jones)
by The Bar-Kays
Pro: Allen Jones
(Volt: 1971)
US #10 R&B & #53 Pop both in ’72
SUNSHINE LADY
(Homer Banks/Lester Snell)
by Latimore
Pro: Wolf Stephenson
(Malaco: 1986)
US #76 R&B
TAKE CARE OF YOUR HOMEWORK
(Homer Banks/Raymond Jackson/Don Davis/Tom Kelly)
by Johnnie Taylor
Pro: Al Jackson Jr. & Don Davis
(Stax: 1969) US #2 R&B, #20 Pop
TAKE HIM BACK (Taxi)
(Homer Banks/Chuck Brooks)
by Anne LeSear
Pro: Houston Connection Staff
(H.C.R.C.: 1984)
US #94 R&B
TAXI
(Homer Banks/Chuck Brooks)
by J. Blackfoot
Pro: Homer Banks & Chuck Brooks
(Sound Town: 1983)
US #4 R&B & #90 Pop both in '84
TEAR JERKER
(Homer Banks/Lester Snell)
by J. Blackfoot Feat. Ann Hines
Pro: Homer Banks
(Edge: 1987)
US #28 R&B
THIS USED TO BE YOUR HOUSE
(Homer Banks/Chuck Brooks)
by Shirley Brown
Pro: Homer Banks & Chuck Brooks
(Sound Town: 1984)
US #70 in '85
(Too Little In Common To Be Lovers)
TOO MUCH GOING TO SAY GOODBYE
(Homer Banks/Carl Hampton)
by The Newcomers
Pro: Homer Banks & Carl Hampton
(Truth: 1975)
US #74 R&B
TOO MANY LOVERS
(Homer Banks/Raymond Jackson)
by Shack
Pro: Homer Banks & Raymond Jackson
(Volt: 1970) US #23 R&B in '71
TOUCH A HAND, MAKE A FRIEND
(Homer Banks/Carl Hampton/Raymond Jackson)
by The Staple Singers
Pro: Al Bell
(Stax: 1974)
US #3 R&B, #23 Pop & #27 AC
by The Oak Ridge Boys
Pro: Ron Chancey
(MCA: 1985)
US #1 Country
WE OUGHT TO BE DOIN' IT
(Homer Banks/Chuck Brooks)
by Randy Brown
Pro: Homer Banks & Chuck Brooks
(Chocolate City: 1980) US #16 R&B
WHO'S MAKING LOVE
(Homer Banks/Raymond Jackson/Bettye Crutcher/Don Davis)
by Johnnie Taylor
Pro: Don Davis
(Stax: 1968)
US #1 R&B, #5 Pop
by Young-Holt Unlimited
Pro: Carl Davis & Eugene Record
Arr: Sonny Sanders
(Brunswick: 1969)
US #57 Pop
by The Blues Brothers
Pro: Bob Tischler & Paul Shaffer
(Atlantic: 1980)
US #39 Pop in ‘81
WONDERFUL
(Homer Banks/Carl Hampton)
by Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis Jr.
Pro & Arr: Frank E. Wilson
(ABC: 1977) US #76 R&B
YOU SAYS IT ALL
(Homer Banks/Chuck Brooks)
by Randy Brown
Pro: Homer Banks & Carl Hampton
(Parachute: 1979)
US #47 R&B, #72 Pop
YOU'VE GOT A CUSHION TO FALL ON
(Homer Banks/Raymond Jackson)
by Carla Thomas
Pro: Don Davis
(Stax: 1971)
US #49 R&B in '72.
Backup vocals by The Emotions
Among the various songs in which
Homer Banks compositions that have been sampled:
I CARE 4 YOU
by Aaliyah
(Blackground: 2002)
which sampled
(Too Little In Common To Be Lovers)
TOO MUCH GOING TO SAY GOODBYE
MESMERIZED
by Faith Evans
(Capitol: 2005)
which sampled
WHO’S MAKING LOVE
WANNA DO YOU RIGHT
by K-Ci & JoJo
(MCA: 2001)
which sampled
(IF LOVING YOU IS WRONG) I DON'T WANT TO BE RIGHT
WHITE DRESS
by Kanye West & RZA
on the soundtrack of the 2012 film “The Man With Iron Fists”
which sampled
I COULD NEVER BE HAPPY
The US Chart positions quoted above are as published originally
in Billboard magazines; researched and compiled by Joel Whitburn
in his series of Chart Books published by Record Research Inc.
His books are available thru their website
As in all my postings, the recordings listed and reference
above are in no way intended as definitive collections.
Please send any comments or suggestions to
Rock on.
Alan Warner
Additional songwriter lists appear
in the following previous editions of "The Door To Yesterday":
Dave Bartholomew: Vol.2, No.19
Barry Mann & Cynthia Weil: Vol.2, No.6
© Alan Warner, 2020. Unauthorized use and/or duplication
of this material without express and written permission from this site’s
with tappropriate and specific direction to the original content.ay be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Alan Warner wiith appropriate
and specific direction to the original content.